01 · the cities
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the gateway to Sonoma wine country, less polished than Napa but more lived-in. Charles Schulz lived here and the Snoopy museum is a delight. The Russian River redwoods are 30 minutes west. The city itself has rebuilt impressively after the 2017 fires, with a downtown that mixes wineries, breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Cooler than San Francisco in summer.
full dispatch→Hickory
Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,597/mo
$1,434/mo
$1,163/mo less than Santa Rosa (81%)
Median home price
Median home price
$817k
$268k
$549k less than Santa Rosa
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,961/mo
$6,524/mo
Hickory has $1,563/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
254 days
189 days
65 fewer than Santa Rosa
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
11 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
4 days
days below 20°F per year
Santa Rosa has 17 more days above 95°F each year than Hickory.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
69 / 100
64 / 100
5.0 pts behind Santa Rosa
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
0 routes
4 fewer direct routes than Santa Rosa
Metro size
Metro size
482k metro
370k metro
Santa Rosa has 19.0x fewer events per month than Hickory.
the verdict
3
Santa Rosa
categories won
5
Hickory
categories won
Hickory wins on money. Santa Rosa has the edge on lifestyle.
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